8月18日

標　　題：日用飲食

經　　節：我們日用的飲食，今日賜給我們。（馬太福音六章11節）

耶穌常常提醒祂的跟隨者，不要憂慮。祂告訴他們，不要為明天的需要或可能的問題憂慮（馬太福音六：25）。耶穌更確切地強調，要每日依靠天父，因為天父日日供應祂的孩子所需用的一切。

當以色列人漂流在沙漠中，他們無法得到食物。神以奇跡的方式，每日早晨在地上供應嗎哪給他們。神的供應足夠我們每日取用。每天早晨，以色列兒女拾取新鮮的嗎哪，實際地提醒他們，神對他們的愛。如果他們想要多取些食物，好存上幾天，他們會發現嗎哪隔天都腐壞了。要貯存神的供應，以便不時之需，是不可能的事，因為神要他們相信祂，而不是相信食品貯藏室。神的恩典足夠我們每天去支取。

神要我們相信祂每日必供應日常所需。這份信心不會使我們變成蹩腳的計畫者，或者是對未來抱著無所謂、不預備的人；這份信心是，當神提醒我們每日倚靠祂，我們能以合宜的態度與神創建關係。神知道明日會如何，並且知道我們該如何預備自己，好面對明天。祂知道我們將會遇見的困難，祂早就預備好給我們足夠的供應，去克服那些困難。神要我們每日都能夠操練自己的信心。我們今日對祂的信心，不代替我們明日對祂的信心。當我們今日與神緊緊同行，我們會行在祂明日的旨意中。

Daily Bread

"Give us this day our daily bread." (Matthew 6:11)

Jesus often reminded His followers not to worry. He told them not to be anxious about tomorrow’s needs or potential problems (Matt. 6:25). Rather, Jesus stressed a daily reliance on the Father, who provides for His children day by day.

As the Israelites wandered in the desert, they had no way to get food. Miraculously, God provided manna that appeared on the ground each morning. God’s provision was sufficient for one day at a time. Each day the children of Israel received fresh manna as a tangible reminder of God’s love for them. If they attempted to store it for the days to come, they found that it had spoiled by the next day. It was impossible to stockpile God’s provision, because God wanted them to trust in Him, not in their pantry. God’s grace was sufficient for each day.

God wants us to trust Him daily with our needs. This trust does not make us poor planners or careless with our futures, unprepared to face what may come. Rather, it keeps our relationship with the Lord in its proper perspective as He reminds us daily of our dependence upon Him. God is aware of what tomorrow will bring and how we should prepare for it. He knows the problems we will face, and He has already made provision for us to overcome them. He asks us to trust in Him daily. Our faith in Him today cannot substitute for our trust in Him tomorrow. If we walk with Him closely today, we will be in the center of His will tomorrow.